ArianespaceAriane 5 ECAAriane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2
Launched
May 21, 2010
Image: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique vidéo du CSG
Summary
Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2 launched on an Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA from Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on May 21, 2010. It was Arianespace's 189th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 5,054th orbital launch attempt. It was the 24th Ariane 5 ECA flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). Astra 3B, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 271 × 35,772 km orbit inclined 3.0°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Ariane 5 ECA · Arianespace
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)
- Milestone
- 24th Ariane 5 ECA flight · 1st this yearArianespace's 189th launch1st this yearhumanity's 5,054th orbital launch attempt22nd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Astra 3B · NORAD 36581 · 2010-021 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2010-021A
- Epoch
- 2010-05-21 17:21:01 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.27885887 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7277038
- Inclination
- 2.964°
- Ascending node
- 36.7621°
- Arg. of perigee
- 176.4438°
- Mean anomaly
- 189.8568°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: GTO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 2 still in orbit
- Astra 3B · NORAD 36581
- COMSATBw-2 · NORAD 36582 · in orbit
Ariane 5 L551 ESC-A · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Astra 3B is one of the Astra satellites operated by SES to provide digital television & radio for direct to home communications for Europe and the Middle East, operating at 23.5 degrees East. COMSATBw 1 is a satellite providing German military communications for voice and fax as well as advanced data, video and multimedia.
Pad
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
50th launch from Ariane Launch Area 3, 1st this year · 203rd from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
118 launches from this pad · 336 from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
154 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2 launch?
Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2 launched on May 21, 2010. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2?
Ariane 5 ECA, flown by Arianespace. Ariane 5 ECA spec sheet
Where did Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2 launch from?
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.
What orbit did Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2 reach?
Astra 3B, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 271 × 35,772 km orbit inclined 3.0°.
How many satellites did Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).